Author Note: I just wanna take the time and say thanks to everyone!! All the reviews help and the hits make me wanna write more and more. But don't worry readers. There's a lot more to come. Hope you keep reading.

Chapter 7: Bumps [G]

Penny was sitting with her knees curled up to her chest in the secret crawl space. She hadn't bothered to turn the little flashlight on; too worried someone would find her. All the noise from downstairs in the living room had stopped. Only hearing the rain on the roof and the sound of her breath, she wondered if whoever it was had left. Her thoughts raced. What if Griffin got hurt? What if the people her mother warned her about were finally after her? What if…? She couldn't take it anymore. Penny jumped back to the living room. Standing between the coffee table and couch, blood on the floor caught her eye.

Kneeling down to make sure it was blood, Griffin jumped back. Penny was startled and fell back, into the coffee table. "Ouch," she grunted.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to startle ya. You alright?" he asked while he helped her up.

Penny nodded as she said, "Just hit my back real bad." Penny felt a spasm of pain down her back. "Ah!" She winced and closed her eyes, hoping the pain would go away. She felt Griffin's arms around her.

"Sit," he told her. She sat down slowly with his help. "What did you hit?"

"Corner of the table."

"Where?"

"Somewhere up on the left side," her breathing was a bit ragged, she noticed. Lifting her left arm only caused pain, so she lifted the right one. Penny made a circle in the air around where the pain was coming from.

"That's you shoulder blade. Can I take a look?" he asked. Penny was a bit unsure. Sure they connected and just made out, but already trying to get her shirt off? In her mind she laughed.

"I won't touch it. Promise," Griffin added. She could her that he cared. She nodded and lifted up her shirt.

"Heh. Um. I can't exactly get to it unless you take it off…" Griffin trailed off.

She turned her head and looked at him. His cheeks were a shade of pink that matched his unsure face. "It's fine," Penny said shaking her head. It's just medical. Just medical, she thought to herself. Griffin helped her since it hurt so much she couldn't get it on her own. After a few groans and a spasm of pain, her shirt was off. Her face burned with embarrassment. She really hoped he wouldn't look at her blue bra. After a few seconds, she felt him lightly poke her lightly where the pain generated from. She winced, clenching her jaw.

"Think you bruised your shoulder blade really bad."

"Huh. Is it red?"

"Yeah, really inflamed already. Swollen, too. Probably have a good bruise from it. Where's your ice box?"

"I'll get it," she said standing up. Griffin stood up with her. As she shuffled to the kitchen in the next room, he followed her. He was making sure she didn't hurt herself more. She grabbed an icepack and turned around. That's when she remembered she wasn't wearing a shirt. She held the icepack in front of her. Her face wasn't as red as before but here cheeks were rosy. She looked down at the floor, then back at him.

"Penny, I won't stare at you." His smirk was so unreassuringly.

Well, she thought. At least he didn't say he wouldn't look since THAT would be a lie. She nodded and held out the icepack and asked, "Now do you have any pain medicine? You can lie down and rest if you want while I ice your back."

"Sure, but that means we have to go upstairs." Penny said as she walked towards him. "Grab my arm and I'll jump us-"

"No," he cut her off. "If we jump right now, they'll send more of their people."

"Who will?"

"I'll explain it all..."Griffin picked her up in his arms. "...In the morning." She could see he meant it by his expression.

Her left arm draped over his shoulder and around the back of his neck. She saw out the window that the sun was nearly gone. She nodded and nuzzled his neck. He kissed her as he walked up the first two steps. He walked up the other five as she whispered in his ear how happy she was, thank yous, and that she'd pay him back. At the top of the steps, she pointed to her bedroom. The door was open and he walked in. Penny yawned and fought sleep as he laid her down on the bed. Griffin walked to the other side and laid next to her. He put the icepack gently on her shoulder. Within ten minutes, she was asleep in his arms.